RXwildlife Sightings

Feeding waders on Flat Beach Flood this morning included 260 Dunlin, 16 Knot, a Little Stint, 6 Ruff and 30 Ringed Plover, also of note 5 Little Egret and 55 Teal, the grassy areas also held good numbers of Meadow Pipit, a few Yellow Wagtail and a few Wheatear. Elsewhere 300 Golden Plover were roosting on the new saltmarsh and 245 Curlew departed at day break from the roost on Harbour Farm. Later at Castle Water 7 Whinchat, several Wheatear and 50+ Meadow Pipit were feeding on the grassy area at the northern end of the main pit, waders feeding around the islands included 3 Ruff, 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper. A Marsh Harrier and a Peregrine added some raptor interest, the later flushing 800 Lapwing off the new excavations.

Whinchat perched along the fence at the northern end of the main pit at Castle Water

Highlights this morning included 2 Firecrest in the bramble scrub behind Ternery Pool, 3 Arctic Skua were roosting on the low water sand and then headed west, and at least 15 Wheaters were present around the shingle ridges and Harbour Farm. Yesterday a Bittern was of note at Castle Water.

Wheatear

Ad male Montagu’s Harrier flying W over Pett Level @08.55 this morning.
More details in due course on RXbirdwalks.

One at lavender in my garden in Rye today.

Good selection of highlights this morning around the reserve, at Castle Water 5 Curlew Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, Marsh Harrier and 800 Lapwing. On the Beach Reserve Flat Beach flood attracted 65 Knot, 5 Ruff, 120 Dunlin, 63 Ringed Plover and 145 Oystercatcher. The new flooded saltmarsh also held 200+ roosting Golden Plover and feeding Ringed Plover and Dunlin. Lots of passerine activity also around the Beach Reserve and Harbour Farm with at least 12 Wheatear, 2 Whinchat, 4 Stonechat, 150 Meadow Pipit, 40+ Yellow Wagtails, 60 Goldfinch and the several large flocks of Linnets. The scrubby areas are also holding good numbers of Chiffchaff with Blackcap, Whitethroat and the odd Lesser Whitethroat. Sparrowhawks are also ubiquitous around the site at the moment.

Golden Plover

According to Colin Pratt’s excellent 3 volume book on Butterflies and Moths of Sussex, the Pale Eggar has a patchy distribution and the maps show few records from the east. This specimen was one of the few moths caught in my Robinson trap near Staplecross last night.

The standard way to find newts at this time of year is to turn over a piece of wood or a stone to see if animals are sheltering underneath.  This short log was productive, sheltering 6 smooth newts and one great crested newt this week, near the Cladium Pit.

The great crested newt is the large black amphibian - note the characteristic yellow rings on the digits and the greater size of this species. The smooth newts Read the rest of this entry »

An Osprey was a great highlight this morning and gave good views on the Beach Reserve and at Castle Water, also at Castle Water eight distant waders seen from the hide also provided interest and thanks to a patient Cliff Dean were finally identified as Curlew Sandpipers when they came nearer the hide. Back on the Beach Reserve a flock of at least 300 Linnet frequented Flat Beach and Ternery Pool and 70+ Meadow Pipit were on Harbour Farm. The low water shore attracted 19 Knot, 135 Curlew, 45 Dunlin and 3 Bar-tailed Godwit. Also of note at Lime Kiln Cottage the first small flocks of Siskins passed over head at first light.

Osprey

The Buff-breasted Sandpiper was present again this morning on the small pool on the seaward side of the footpath that leads from the caravan site to Ternery Pool, 5 Curlew Sandpipers and 2 Little Stint were also present along with a few Dunlin.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper Read the rest of this entry »

The new saltmarsh has delivered its first rarity this morning at 10.45. A juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper together with 2 Curlew Sandpiper, a Dunlin and 3 Ruff, on the very shallow pool on the seaward side of the footpath from the Caravan Site to Ternery Pool. Still present at 10am Friday, but with 5 Curlew Sandpipers.
This is an American species - for more details click here.

Buff-breasted and Curlew Sandpipers - photo thro binoculars
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